A PROJECT REPORT ON “Creating

drinking water in corporate leading business”
SUBMITEED TO MUMBAI UNIVERSITY In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Degree of Masters of Management Studies (MMS)

Submitted by: SWAPNIL KHAWALE (Roll No.B-88)

Project Guide: Prof. RESHMA
YMT COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT

NAVI MUMBAI
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DECLARATION

I, Mr. Swapnil Khawalehereby declare that this project work entitled ―Creating brand awareness for Mermaid packaged drinking water in leading corporate business ” Have been carried out under the guidance of my faculty guided by Mrs ReshmaGhorpade This reports neither in full nor in part will ever be submitted for award of any other degree of either this university or any other university.

Swapnil Khawale

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CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that Mr. Swapnil Khawale student of YMT COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT,KHARGHARhas completed his field work report at ―Creating brand awareness for mermaid packaged drinking water in corporate leading business” on the topic of SALES & PROMOTION and has submitted the field work report in partial fulfillment of MMS-Marketing (AICTE) of the UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI for the academic year 2010-12. He has worked under our guidance and direction. The said report is based on bonafide information.

Dr. C BABU Guide

Mrs.RESHMA GHORPADEDirector

Date:- / /2012 Place: -Navi Mumbai

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express our gratitude to all those who gave us the possibility to complete this Project. I want to thank the Management ofYmtCollgeOf Management for giving us the opportunity to commence this thesis. I deeply indebted to my Project guide Prof. ReshmaGhorpade

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PREFACE

This project deals with the distribution strategies which is very important factor for any organization because every company‘s aim is to give the better services to satisfy customer needs and wants. Satisfaction level is the function of the difference between perceived performance & expectation. If the performance falls short of expectation the customer is dissatisfied. If the performance matches the expectation the customer is satisfied. If the performance exceeds the expectation the customer is highly satisfied or delighted. Thus, for customer centered companies are both a goal & a marketing tool. So, this project presents the matter in a precise & convincing manner. The subject in this project is in a more compact & in logical manner. I would like to put on record the debt I owe to my parents for their constant encouragement & support. This project could not have been completed without the co-operation & assistance of several kind-hearted souls i.e. my close friends who helped me at various stages by extending their active support. Last but not the least I am thankful to Mr. HarshilKamble (Business development executive) without his personal attention this project would have never seen the light of the day.

To create awareness & improve the Mermaid‘s market potential in the New Mumbai & Some part of the central Mumbai Market in Key account segments. A detail understanding of all the competitive brands of Mermaid‘s packaged drinking water. To gauge the satisfaction level with the current packaged drinking water brand used.
Research Methodology:       Technique: Quantitative Instrument: Structured Questionnaire Method: Face-to Face Paper Pencil Areas Covered: Bhandup To Vashi Sample Size: 290Keys accounts Duration: 60 days
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. To determine the user-nonuser status in allocated areas (Bhandup to Vashi).Executive Summary Objective: The research was conducted for the SKU ‗1‘ liters & 500 ml Key account of Mermaid Packaged drinking Water. The main objectives of the research wereTo find out the ‗Market Penetration‘ of the packaged drinking water brands in the Key accounts in the allocated areas. To ascertain the ‗Buying Behavior‘ of Key account consumers. To assess the ‗Price Sensitivity‘ of the Key account consumers.

especially hot springs.INTRODUCTION
Now around 100 companies sell an estimated 484 million liters of bottled water valued at around Rs. The tradition of bottled water and mineral water is not very old. The trend of having mineral water gained grounds in the market. Depending on the temperature of the water. This started the trend of using mineral water for drinking purpose to exploit the therapeutic value of the water. and various other ailments. arthritis. It can be used to cure different ailments. 230crore in the country annually.
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.Since ancient time people have used water from mineral springs. the location. skin diseases. This trend started gaining momentum in mid 1970s and since then large quantities of bottled water from mineral springs in France and other European The concept of bottled has been quite prevalent in western countries due to greater health consciousness and higher awareness about health and hygiene countries are exported every year. for bathing due to its supposed therapeutic value for rheumatism. Even in western countries the practice of bottled drinking water started in 1950s. and the climate at the spring. the altitude.

4 at Panvel. 534 in Adecco.Devprakash Rajput Genesis The foundation stone of the group was laid down by ShriDevprakash H. 10 in MHPL and 17 people in Shilpa Beverages. 350 crore.Dwarka Group Of Companies Established 15 years ago by our Chairman… And FounderShri. the group‘s founder chairman in the year 1947 by starting a restaurant namely Subhash Punjab on National Highway No. As if now our current employee strength is 739 which is 178 in Dwarka. Rajput. Today the group has transformed into a large conglomeration of companies owning landed assets to the tune of Rs. Dwarka Group is a closely held conglomeration of various companies primarily active in three verticals:    Liquid Milk and Milk Products Hotels and Hospitality Beverages .Packaged Drinking Water
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. having 25 dairy plants in all over Maharashtra. 100 crore and annual volume of Rs.

Expansion
 Shilpa Beverages Pvt. a company formed by the directors namely Mr.  The motive of the company is to provide quality product in all sizes at the best possible rates and make a unique brand name in the market through highgrade service and prompt response. Kapil Rajput and Mr. Ltd.Mithilesh Rajput is currently in business of Packaged Drinking Water. The company is operating from its state of the art bottling plant at New Panvel in Raigad District.  In Sep 2010 Company Changes Name OXYFRESH CLASSIC to MERMAID
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..  The company began its entry into the packaged drinking water business by setting up distribution network for its brand ―OXYFRESH CLASSIC‖ in the year 2005.

the group also envisages to venture into large scale manufacturing of the entire gamut of CARBONATED SYNTHETIC DRINK AND NON – CARBONATED READY TO DRINK FRUIT JUICES.  Company also envisages setup a manufacturing unit of 20 LITRE JARS and SMALL CUPS in Mumbai specifically for Mumbai Region taking into consideration the huge requirement that the product has in the island city. Navi Mumbai.
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.  The company also plans to setup its RETAIL DIVISION in metro cities of Mumbai. Pune and Ratnagiri district. Mission    To create employment opportunities in the rural sector and absorbing local people by training them for required jobs. unadulterated product that is packed as per International Standards.  The company is presently doing business in areas like Mumbai.  To create a mega brand and strengthen the group‘s operations in area of beverage industry through continual development. The company has expansion plans to do the business on state level basis. To create employment opportunities for educated unemployed youth in Tier I. Tier II and Tier III Metro cities by installing retail booths in these cities. Navi Mumbai. Thane and Pune as part of its forward integration programmed. expansion and profitability. Thane.Vision  With packaged drinking water as its core product. Raigad. at competitive prices. To provide value for money to the end consumers by serving them fresh.

the commissioning work of the unit began in April 2007 under the supervision of Mr. Raigad. New Bombay. The company continued to expand the packaged drinking water business by extending its geographical limits in distribution. Together they setup a strong team of dedicated professionals department wise and thus began their new endeavor in March 2007. Mithilesh Rajput. Ratnagiri and Ahmednagar Districts.   With all the required skills and people in place. Pune. Sales volumes required for profitable running of the unit were already there.  By the end of 2006 ―OXYFRESH CLASSIC‖ had substantial presence and a very good penetration in market. capturing town after town.Values         Integrity Leadership Teamwork Co-operation Quality Passion Openness Transparency
Journey of Dwarka Beverages
  The launch of ―OXYFRESH CLASSIC‖ was a phenomenal success due to strong distribution network and the expertise that the company had acquired. With all its processes and Standard Operating Procedures tried and immaculately tested and refined the company achieved its objective of setting up its first unit well within time in March 2008.
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. district after district. This was the time that the promoters thought was ripe to venture into backward integration.  The think tank of the company prepared a detailed blue print for the company‘s journey into backward integration. Currently the brand is having its presence in Bombay. Thane.

Most multi-national (MNC)
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. and it's growing at a huge 40-50% annually. India is one of the biggest and most attractive water markets in the world. Transmission and distribution networks for water are generally old and badly maintained. The boom time for Indian bottled water industry is to continue. These professionals were appointed as their respective head of departments after due consideration.5 percent of the land mass and 4 percent of the world's water resources. and this is evident with the surging rise in the consumption of packaged/bottled water.
For carrying out such enormous scale of operations.more so because the economics are sound. 2. India has 16 percent of the world's population.

The appointment of these professionals has brought in good corporate governance in the company and has converted it from a family owned business to a professionally managed organization. and as a result.200 bottling plants and 100 brands of packaged water across the country are battling over the market. overdrawing groundwater. Around 1.
INSIGHT OF PACKAGED DRINKING WATER INDUSTRY IN INDIA Water everywhere. Corporate control over water and water distribution in India is growing rapidly: the packaged water business is worth $250 million. Drinking water supplies in many parts of India are intermittent. These limited water resources are depleting rapidly while the demands on them are increasing. and robbing local communities of their water resources and livelihoods. the company has also created a strong team of professionals carefully chosen and picked up from their respective fields. deliberation and thorough market research. are deteriorating. not a CLEAN drop to drink! Who would have thought that there will be a day when sanitation of available water would be more of a concern than availability of water itself? Hygiene is of great concern to everyone today. the bottom line is fat and the Indian government hardly cares for what happens to the nation's water resources.

it has become a Rs 3.Pearle‘s $52 million (Rs. From being confined to the uppermost echelons of society. 2.multi-national corporations are not far behind. and the household and institutional market.companies view India as the next big market with a lot of potential and growth possibility.or 25-litre. and it's growing at 40% per annum. The all-India market for packaged water is between $145 million (Rs. The bulk water industry. There is investment worthy mid-cap companies in this segment.and 25-litre packages. where the pack size is usually are 20.5 billion) Bisleri brand has a 40 percent share -. and Pepsi's Aquafina and Coke's Kinley brands have been extremely successful in edging out many of the small and medium players to buy-outs and exclusive licensing deals. making bottled water is today a cottage industry in the country. one litre. Several MNCs are waiting in the wings to expand a $ 287 billion global water market into India. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the governing authority on all quality and production regulations related to natural mineral water as well as packaged drinking water. There is a huge market being exploited by the packaged water industry. While the single largest share in the mineral water market might still belong to an Indian brand -. or water in 12-. 8 billion) and $21 million (Rs. Even though it accounts for only 5 percent of the total beverage market in India.000 crore. Nestle and Danone are vying to purchase Bisleri. has also witnessed a parallel growth of Rs 700-1. nearly 80 per cent of which are local. one that is slated to only post healthy growth rates to become a Rs 10.5/2-litre and fivelitre. In less than two years since its launch. Most of the small-scale producers sell non-branded products and serve small markets. News
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. With over a thousand bottled water producers. After witnessing historic growth in recent years.000-crore industry. the market can be divided into two segments — the retail consumer market where the pack sizes are 500 ml. branded bottled water is the fastest growing industry in the beverage sector. Aquafina has cornered 11 percent of the market and Kinley has almost a third of the market. In fact. Basically. There are more than 200 brands. 1. 20.2/1. 10 billion) and is growing at the rate of nearly 40 per cent per annum.000-crore business in just three years. packaged water has now become a commonplace commodity and almost a necessity in metros. the Indian bottled water industry is big by even international standards.

but shall not contain added sugars. flavoring or other foods. other than natural mineral waters. Artesian water Bottled water from a well that taps a confined aquifer (a water-bearing underground layer of rock or sand) in which the water level stands at some height above the top of the aquifer. naturally occurring or intentionally added. It must be calorie-free and sugar-free. extracts or essences).
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. ―DEMAND OF WATER WOULD NEVER GO DOWN… & WATER WOULD NEVER BE OUT OF BUSINESS” How is bottled water different from Tap Water? Consistent quality and taste are two of the principal differences between bottled water and tap water. de ionization or reverse osmosis.largely from underground aquifers and springs . it can be categorized that way. it can be recalled. naturally occurring or intentionally added. when bottled water is sourced from a community water system the product label must state so clearly. Accordingly. are waters for human consumption and may contain minerals. According to regulations in the US. In compliance with international regulations.reports indicate that other MNCs like Unilever are also eying the market. drinking water is water that is sold for human consumption in sanitary containers and contains no added sweeteners or chemical additives (other than flavors. If a bottled water product is found to be substandard. if the water is subject to distillation. This can‘t happen in case of tap water. sweeteners. However. While bottled water originates from protected sources .tap water comes mostly from rivers and lakes Another factor to consider is the distance tap water must travel and what it goes through before it reaches the tap. may contain carbon dioxide. and does not have to state on its label that it is from a community water system or from a municipal source
Types of Water
Package waters: Packaged waters. bottled water is sealed and packaged in sanitary containers.

deionization. The location of the spring shall be identifiable. They have been rendered fit for human consumption or have passed through community water supply or have had the composition significantly changed. No minerals can be added to this product. Spring water shall be collected at the spring or through a bore hole tapping the underground formation feeding the spring. reverse osmosis or other suitable processes can be labeled as purified bottled water. Other suitable product names for bottled water treated by one of the above processes may include "distilled water" if it is produce
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. Mineral water is distinguished from other types of bottled water by its constant level and relative proportions of mineral and trace elements at the point of emergence from the source. Glacial (Glacier) water It is either the runoff directly from the natural melting of ice of glacier or water obtained from the melting of glacier ice at a bottled water operation. Purified Water Water that has been produced by distillation. There shall be a natural force causing the water to flow to the surface through a natural orifice. Spring water It is water derived from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the surface of the earth.Flavors. Mineral Water: Bottled water containing not less than 250 parts per million total dissolved solids may be labeled as mineral water. Prepared water Prepared water is substantially altered so that its composition is no longer characteristics of the defined origins. but they must comprise less than one-percent weight of the final product or the product will be considered a soft drink. extracts or essences may be added to drinking water.

After draining. Since our water is ozonated all product contact parts are of 316L grade stainless steel and the rubber parts are of EPDM. Filling Bottles are fed by an air conveyor from the blowing unit directly into the in-feed of the RFC. filling. rinsed and sprayed with ozonated water at 2 bar pressure. (All components are water lubricated above the table top. Here ozonated-water rinsed caps are screwed on the bottle with uniform torque.Packaging The most critical aspect of our bottling process that sets us apart from the rest of the industry is the fact that our bottles remain untouched right through the rinsing. These labels are fed into the machine in a roll form too
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. capping and labeling operations. Filling is then done systematically through gravity. get rolled around the bottle. At the filler these bottles are straightened up and gradually lifted to the filling valves which open only when a bottle is placed under them. which means that every bottle is held by the neck automatically while being inverted.
Labeling From the capping section the bottles are directly sent to the labeling section. All Mermaid bottles are labeled on a hot melt reel feed labeling machine. the bottles are re-inverted and transferred to the filler. This machine allows each individual bottles to be spaced out and fed to the labeling station where precisely cut labels with a strip of hot melt glue at the leading and trailing edge. Our RFC equipment is neck run and it boasts of a monoblock unit.
Capping After the filling process the bottles are then transferred to the capping section.

Huge discounts are offered on both 1 litersbottle as well as the other Sku‘s only when consumption is in bulk.15/. & 2litre is Rs 6. Mermaid has more than 35 Distributors vehicles which cover all the major routes throughout the day & ensure that each & every retail&key outlet has sufficient stock for at least 2 days over& above demand.Quality Check From here on. Of all the SKUs of
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. The major promotion is done by Mouth communication. the bottles go through an online check where qualified personnel inspect each bottle for any leaks or breakages. 500 ml. 10. Place: It has its own distribution network as well as its distributors who comprehensively cover all the route thus making it possible to place Mermaid‘s product in almost all the major retail & key out outlets. The Distributors vehicles are covered by huge hoardings which have Mermaid add printed on them. Also Mermaid has a strong sales force which constantly strives on the field in an Endeavour to make new clients & place products in new outlets. These vehicle acts as a tool for outdoor promotion.15 & 20 respectively. Discounts are offered to the retailers along with their margins so that they push the product.where as the price of other Sku‘s like 250 ml. They are then packed into sturdy cartons which are dispatched to the market by our fleet of trucks. The distribution plays a very crucial role in the success of Mermaid Promotion: Mermaid being a generic name in the packaged drinking water segment is started advertising on Marathi commercial news channel. Although it has its reach in most of the outlets but due to exclusivity there are certain numbers of outlets which do not keep Mermaid products. The price of 1 litre is Rs. Pricing: When it comes to pricing Mermaid is very rigid especially in 1 litre bottles.

They also look for security: food scandals inindustrialized countries and waterborne diseases in developing countries greatly influence consumers‘ attitudes. natural mineral water is perceived as "natural" by city dwellers looking for genuineproducts. causing declines in tap-water quality.   Visibility is another factor that should be taken care of by the companies as consumers are not very brand loyal and consume whatever is in front of them. this product is mainly consumed by the people in the age group of 20-35 years who have less attraction of soft drinks or other synthetic drinks whereas youngsters look in for soft drinks and fruit beverages to quench their thirst. increasing urbanization. Thus. for the aerated beverages bottled water offers a potential threat. bottled water has become a huge marketing process
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. Above all. can also explain the popularity. Because it is untreated. Consumers often drink bottled water as an alternative to tap water.  Higher living standards and auto usage enable people to easily bring home more and heavier bottles of water. Bottled water is perceived as a healthy alternative to other beverages. Brand loyalty is very low as all the products taste the same so they can buy just any product which is on Availability in the chilled form and brand awareness is a crucial role in purchase decisions.Consumer habits and practices
  Consumers are growing more health conscious and are more careful of their drinking habits. next to the computer and the telephone.  While there is no aversion to consumption of mineral water by any age group. At the office.  Moreover. Drinking bottled water is a sign of a rise in the social scale.  Consumers buy bottled water to feel well and to lose weight. a bottle of water is now a common sight on the desk. They think it tastes better (no chlorine taste) and perceive it to be safer and of better quality.

Base on this SKU we can divide the entire market into two segments
Each of these consumption markets has a number of SKUs under it. Aquafina etc. Clubs. belong to premium local natural mineral water category. The market can also be divided on the basis of the price at which this bottled water is available into three categories:  Super premium mineral water  Premium local natural mineral water  Popular or plain bottled water Presently. offices. Bisleri. Perrier and San-Pellegrino of Nestle belong to super premium category. Brilliant etc. travel. belong to popular or plain bottled water category. Some of ht most consumed SKUs in retail and key account market 500ml. Kinley. Bailey. caterers. The packaged drinking water market is often categorized as per the clients they have     Theatres / cinema halls / Multiplexes Caterers Picnic spots. parties. Hotels. All other brands like Mermaid. Evian of DANONE group. Gymkhanas . tourism etc. Himalayan. 1 liter & 2liter The institution market is largely constituted by the hotel industry.Market categorization
The market initially had only one SKU of 1 litre this was followed a by a number of smaller and bigger SKUs. Resorts In-flight kitchens
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.

The fault also lies with the government for being lackadaisical in setting up norms for entry into the industry and also for being lackadaisical in taking proper care of health of its public. 11-12bn of this around Rs. 7bn is in the hands of organized sector and rest is with unorganized sector. which was once synonymous with the desiBisleri. HUL have evinced interest in the market. Britannia. With changing consumer preferences from carbonated drinks towards bottled water the growth rate is expected to stabilize at 25-30 % for next 4-5 years.Market is witnessing launch of a number of player with every passing day. The Rs 1. In the organized sector Bisleri is the market leader with 48% market share. is now witnessing intense competition with multinationals entering the fray and is also reeling under the high input costs. well distributed among small regional players. The market for the past three years has been growing at unimaginable rates of more than 80%. The problem in the market is not with the players but with the consumers. reap benefits by packaging tap water and selling as pure mineral water. this can be explained on account of the lower base of previous years. Genie is out of the bottle! Indeed. the bottled water industry is one of the most thriving sectors in India. 
College canteens General Stores etc
The Market Size & Growth Rate
The mineral water market is still maintaining the pace at which it has been growing over past few years. This strong double digit growth rate of the industry has attracted a number of global players in the market in the recent past some the major players like Coke.
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. Presently the market is –night operators who enter the market in summers. Total bottled market has a size of Rs. illiteracy has led these players to take full advantage of consumers by selling even the tap water as mineral water. PepsiCo have launched their products in the market.200 crore branded packaged water market. and then leave once the season is over. Manymore like Nestle. Poverty levels.

500ml bottle This size has been introduced in the market to target the individual and local travelers. etc
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. 3. which have usually been positioned as fun and health drink for young adults. These are mainly for institutional sales (Wedding parties. One litre bottle: This is meant to spell safety and security for consumers. Corporate. It is positioned on a prestige platform for the achieversegment . 2.who likes to make a fashion statement by drinking mineral water. 3. Domestic Tourists Domestic tourists have switched to mineral water mainly because of safety and hygiene factors. Foreign market: Foreign tourists have been the main consumers of the mineral water as they face a lot of digestion problems due to different food habits. This is also the segment of fruit drinks. drinking mineral water is also considered fashionable by some people. Fashion conscious Like soft drinks. 2. This segment gets the maximum sales. The mineral water market is also segmented along pack sizes 1.The mineral water consumer is mainly in the age Group of 20-35 years and is an educated middle class person. PET bottle The size of PET bottles varies from 10 to 20liters. Hotels.Market Segmentation
The mineral water market is segmented according to the type of consumer 1.

From last one year Mermaid contribute several new key activation in retail as well as in Key account area. The product can be sighted in most of the outlets in Mumbai Mermaid has to reach to almost all the major medical outlets. As a part of promotion they offer their refrigerators and other cooling system to the retailers and are forced to keep only their products in those freezers. In its Endeavour to reach its various customers Mermaid SKU`s to serve the purpose of its varied customers Mermaid places its offering in more than 2000 outlets in Mumbai & Navi Mumbai . In the recent years the soft drinks majors such as Coca Cola & Pepsi who offer packaged drinking water have given tough competition to Mermaid by Saying monopoly to the retailers. Here Mermaid sells its value offering to the retailers who then sell it to the end users.Retail & Key account Selling
Retail selling: Retail selling does not include the end users in the transit. So they tie up with the retailers to sell their products exclusively. Retailers play a crucial role in the success of any product because they are the people who directly communicate and transact with the end consumers.
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. Hence it slowly and gradually creates awareness in the market. Because he is the one who pushes the product in the market. Due to all these hindrances Mermaid faces a tough competition from the soft drink majors hence even though the customers demand for Mermaid they gets something else to quench their thirst. The major promotion that is done by Mermaid for retail selling is POP merchandise displays. Mermaid seeks to satisfy its retailers by giving those justified margins and offers. Hence it is very essential for a manufacturer to keep its retailer happy and contended. It has a wide reach in all over Mumbai. The end users or the customer‘s decision are often influenced by the retailers. As mentioned earlier retailers are instrumental in the success of a product as they push the product to the consumers.

These orders are entered into the data base from the consumers which are sent along with the salesman to the destination. Ready stock This is the order received by the salesman on the route wherein he prepared a manual bill and gives the delivery to the customers.Pre sales Order This is the order received in advance before the vehicle goes on the route. Analysis of Key account & Retail Sales For Keyaccount Sales: Customer Awareness Quality Availability Sales Force Pricing
Bisleri Aquafina Kinley Mermaid Local F
E G G
G G G G
E G F G P
G G G G P G
F F F
P
P
E
E-Excellent G-Good F-Fair P-Poor
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.

Mermaid has a chance to capture that unregimented market as well when it comes to bulk consumption. The only area of concern is the Relationship and awareness.Analysis of the above Table: The above analysis shows that Mermaid is not excellent in any areas due to just entering in the world but this is again true fact that it was no poor in anywhere. Mermaid cannot afford to lose this market if they want to stable in the market for long year. but again it has to convey its customers about any new offerings that they come up with. hence it need not worry about it. branded & unbranded) then it has to come up with a separate Marketing strategy to tackle the competition.e. Also the quality & availability of Mermaid is better than other local brands.. This is because these local brands are priced at much more less than the rate at which Mermaid& some of the other brands are offered. Hence it need not concentrate in creating customer awareness about its brand as it is already generic in the segment.
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. Hence Mermaid has to first decide who its competitors are. Recommendation: As per the research done in the (Vashi to Mulund area) it was found that the unbranded segment as well as some of the brand in the market having monopoly with Key account and retailer. If it only wants to compete with the branded segment then its pricing strategy & promotional strategy is at par with others but if it wants to compete with the entire segment (i. As a starting stage mermaid achieved satisfactory result within a short period of time . Hence it should come up with an entirely different offering for such consumers who are more of price conscious than quality conscious.

The pricing of Mermaid is at Discount with other brands &also the margin that other brands offer to the retailers is lower than that of Mermaid.. this being the reason that the retailers now move to keepMermaid. Also the brands like Aquafina &Kinley belong to the cola majors who have an already established distribution network & due to exclusivity of these brands in many of the outlets Bisleri is not able to place its product Consumer Behavior:
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.For Retail Selling:
Customer Awareness Bisleri Aquafina Kinley Mermaid Local E G G F P
Quality
Availability Sales Force
Pricing
E G G G P G
G E F
G G G G
G E F E E
P
P
E-Excellent G-Good F-Fair P-Poor Analysis of the above Table: The above table shows that Mermaidgood in customer awareness & quality as well as availability.

There are several processes which a consumer goes through before he buys a particular brand they are:1. Buying Behavior will help the company to know the consumption pattern and will also help the company to know what exactly does the consumer is expecting from the company? What influences consumers to purchase products or services? The consumer buying process is a complex matter as many internal and external factors have an impact on the buying decisions of the consumer. The amount of sales or adoption can be an individual company‘s sale or industry while the theoretical market can be the total population or an estimate of total potential consumers for the product.e. the basis of preference of a particular brand in the given area.Market Penetration The major objective of the survey was to find out the market penetration of the packaged drinking water brands in the corporate offices at Vashi to Mulund. Problem/Need Recognition How do you decide you want to buy a particular product or service? It could be that any existing brand of packaged drinking water which you are using may be inefficient in providing service or you may be having problem with availability of water in your corporate offices or so or you may be having problems with price or quality etc then only you would try and shift to other brand or start of with new service. It would determine the users & non-users of Mermaid Information of Market Penetration will help Mermaid to know a measure of the amount of sales or adoption of a product or service compared to the total theoretical market for that product or service. Information search
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. 2. It will help the company to know which all competitors exist in the given area Buying Behavior The survey was also aimed at ascertaining the buying behavior of corporate consumers i.

Gauging satisfaction level is the key role of research department. Aquafina or Kinley? Consumers allocate attribute factors to certain products. 3. The process of going to the shop to buy the product.g. almost like a point scoring system which they work out in their mind over which brand to purchase. This means that consumers know what features from the rivals will benefit them and they attach different degrees of importance to each attribute. Purchase decision Through the evaluation process discussed above consumers will reach their final purchase decision and they reach the final process of going through the purchase action e. Mermaid. the web. Evaluation of different purchase options So what brand of package water do we purchase? Shall it be Bisleri. 4. Consumers usually have some sort of brand preference with companies as they may have had a good history with a particular brand or their friends may have had a reliable history with one.
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. but if the decision falls between the Mermaid&Kinley then which one shall it be? It could be that the review the consumer reads on the particular Mermaid product may have tipped the balance and that they will purchase that brand. which for some consumers can be as just as rewarding as actually purchasing the product.So we have a problem now? What‘s the solution? Now in the above case the corporate may look into other offices in his premises which brand they are using? Are they happy with their service? Or what‘s the price of the Brand they are consuming? And various other information. He will go through all these information and then come to conclusion. Purchase of the product can either be through the store. or over the phone.
Satisfaction Level
It is very much important to know whether your consumers are happy with your product or not? Company should try and understand the requirement of their consumers and then try to satisfy them as per their need then only company will be able to retain its image in the market.

Company should not only try to gauge the satisfaction level of its own brand but also of its competitors. It is imperative that the marketing professional be able to assess price sensitivity in the target market accurately as missing the window even by a small margin can have enormous impact upon the company‘s sale. Price Sensitivity When it comes to purchasing any product the most important factor which is considered is Price. This will help company to build up further strategies as well. Price Sensitivity is the awareness of the consumer to what they perceive to be the window of cost within which they will buy a particular product or service.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
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.

a general survey to gain knowledge about the market. It also includes research or study method. For estimating the market potential and our own brand‘s market share different methods of primary data collection were employed in the form of questionnaire. Survey was undertaken where particularly information was gathered
METHODOLOGY ADOPTED
The success of any event heavily depends upon the way chosen for its execution. hotels and clubs. In this case. In other words they can call the methodology as the backbone of any research. surveys and experiments. structured and unstructured interviews and methods for establishing facts about building marketing insights for packaging margins etc. The common research approach for collecting the primary data are observations. focus group. This includes ensures of some basic question to the specific focus on constraints as well.
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. The markets available for the study were the retail shops. RESEARCH APPROACH:There are different research approaches and the research instruments that were employed during the research work.METHODOLOGY The project was to involve a detail study of the market based on the consumers. Thus when they talk of methodology they not only talk of methodology they not talk of methods but also consider the logic behind the methods they use in the context of their study
objective and explain way use are using them so that study results are capable of being evaluated logically.

a general survey to gain knowledge about the market.
Research Problem for the present study Analyzing the market of Mermaid package drinking water from VashiToMulund.Research Design .
Research Approach .Questionnaire . commonly known as the pilot survey was and undertaken where particularly information was gathered with respect to the brands.General Survey In this case. The major purpose of Descriptive research is description of the state of affairs as it exists at present.
Data source  Primary data
. people‘s / consumers‘ perception so that it serves as a foundation toprepare the questionnaire for collecting primary data and that it helps in deciding other methods to be adopted which may be useful in gathering the necessary information.Descriptive The Descriptive research is used as the study includes surveys and fact finding enquiries related to packaged drinking water industry.Personal interview (structured/unstructured)
 Secondary data
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.

COCA COLA The company had entered the business in May 2000 through its extending its soda water brand. The company entered the bottled water business in September 1999 under the Aquafina brand. the company that launched Frooti (mango drink in tetra packs). 20-litre and 25-litre. The labels and cartons are also made in the group companies to ensure total control on quality and processes. The brand is available in pack sizes of 500ml. which stock its cold drinks. smooth.
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.000 outlet and the refrigerators at Pepsi‘s retail Outlets. and is a serious competitor in the household and institutional consumption market. 5-litre. The company began by targeting its product towards the youth with a 750ml pack.Food & Beverages division has one of the most modern andcomprehensive packaged drinking water facilities spread across India. Kinley. 1. OXYRICH Dhariwal Industries Ltd .5-litre. Bailley is credited with creating a new segment of 330ml SKU (the right quantity to quench the thirst of an adult!) in the market. pure water with a refreshing boost of extra Oxygen. 1-litre. whereas the soft drinks industry is a strong competitor in the Key account as well as in retail consumption market. It now retails in conventional retail pack sizes of 500-ml and 1-litre bottles. PEPSI CO. 2litre. The water purifier industry (primarily the Aqua Guard brand of the Eureka Forbes) is credited to have done the spadework for creating the safety and health consciousness in water consumption.The bottled water industry effectively competes with both the water-purifiers as well as the soft drinks industry. BAILLEY The brand is a product of Parle Agro. Oxyrich (300% more oxygen) is clear. The brand has the strong backing of a distribution channel of 60.

BISLERI Mineral Water under the name 'Bisleri' was first introduced in Mumbai in glass bottles in two varieties . a company of Italian origin..bubbly & still in 1965 by Bisleri Ltd. LOCAL PLAYERS IN MARKET  Life  Apoorva  Oxifresh  Sagar  Aviva  Oxygen  Suman
Questionnaire
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. This company was started by Signor FeliceBisleri who first brought the idea of selling bottled water in India.

What is the price you are paying for the above brand? ___________________
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. Do you purchase packaged drinking water? Yes No
If no then why? __________________________________________ 2. Which of the following brands do you currently purchase? Bisleri Kinley Aquafina Others________________
3. Why do you prefer the above brand? Price Quality Service Others_______________
4.Organization: ________________________________________________ Name: ________________________________ Designation: ___________________________ Address: ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ Contact No: _________________________
1.

How frequently do you buy the above brand? Daily Alternate Days Weekly
6.5. In what quantities do you buy the above brand? (no of jars/day) ___________
7. Any suggestions would you like to give?
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. From whom do you procure the above product? Company Distributor Retailer
9. For how long are you using the above brand? < 1yr 1-5 yrs to 5 yrs 5 yrs and above
8. How would you relate the overall quality of your relationship with the supplier considering all of your experience with them? Excellent Good Fair Poor
10. __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 12. How satisfied you are with the quality of the water? Extremely Satisfied Dissatisfied Extremely Dissatisfied
11. Any specific problems faced by you? Please give details.

Competitor position from Vashi to Mulund area Market share of existing brands(users) Market share of existing brands(volume) Selection of mineral water Basis of preference of a brand Price paid for the brand
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.e. VashiToMulund Flow of the findings:        Distribution of different Sources of drinking water Mermaid vs.ANALYSIS & INTERPRETATION
The questionnaires are interpreted considering the following factors for the locations i.

     
Source of Purchase Preferred Mode Awareness of Brand Availability of mineral water Packaging of mineral water Quality of mineral water
All the above findings and interpretations are explained with help of statistical data.
Data tabulation analysis & Result
1. Distribution of different Sources of drinking water Brands Mermaid Competitor Aqua guard BMC Water Closed & no info Total No of Key account consumers 58 104 42 56 38 298
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.

The consumption rate of ―Mermaid‖ in given area is 19 % and the competitors are 35%.Consumption Trend from Vashi to Mulund
13%
19%
Mermaid Competitor
19%
Aqua guard BMC Water Closed & no info 14% 35%
Interpretation – The above data represent consumption trend in given area.e Aqua guard 14%. The data clearly indicate that other than packaged drinking water there are many other means of water supply in given area. Competitor position
Brand
Market Share (Users)
Market Share (Volume)
Mermaid Competitor
12 88
19 71
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. Mermaid vs. i. BMC water 19%.

Kinely etc.
  
At the same time consumer prefer packaged drinking water which having good quality. The key account mostly prefer Branded packaged drinking water like ― Bisleri‖ . Consumers have option to go for any of the brand which is easily available and have good market reputation. & available on the substitute rate on time.

There is no proper sales promotion for the brand. As per the study concern the mermaid packaged drinking water have good quality of water as well as it has a reasonable price.
Selection of mineral water is very crucial role for all key accounts & Retailer. Near about 26 % key account purchase mineral as per the brand name. The only thing which backs it is brand name n packaging. Reasonable price. Source of Purchase
Distributor
71
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. ―Aquafina‖ . Most of the key consumers are not aware about this brand. From the above data we can say that Brand awareness is very important for creating high sales value.

If they required bulk quantity of consumption then for heavy discount they go with company directly.
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. The distributor channel of ―Mermaid‖ packaged drinking water now reach each and every area of Navi Mumbai and Mumbai hence it is easy for the consumer to get quick service and match demand supply position of there business.Company
8
Retailers
57
Company 6%
other 1%
Retailer 41%
Distrubutors 52%
Sources of Purchase
Interpretation – Most of the consumer prefer to purchase packaged drinking water from Distributors & Retailer.

However in spite of these limitations all efforts have been put to make the report correct. These limitations are poised by the environment some external and some inherent. in such case their habit. cannot be assessed correctly. and fulfilling the objectives of the reports. Reliability of information collected from various public information sources such as magazines and website. preference. 4. though as mention earlier the reliance on the sources cannot be minimized to zero in context of precision. 3. genuine. 5. Sometimes the required persons were not available at their place. Availability of documents as sources of secondary information. 2. 6. Sometimes respondents were not willing to fill the questionnaire. Very often the respondents do not express their true feelings. This one too was not an exception. The perception level of the respondents. The limitation can be enlisted as here under:1. 7. practice.
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. Some of the respondents refuse to give the important information best known to them.LIMITATIONS
Any research or study always has some limitations under which this has to be undertaken. This study has been conducted with outmost consideration to the adequacy of data and quality of information.

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. because these are branded ones and are trustworthy. It was found that among all the areas covered. 3. 2. Oxyrich. Mermaid Packaged Drinking water is lacking behind because of its quality and packaging. The company does not provide as many schemes as provided by its competitors to the dealer and retailers. there were some areas in which the schemes were not regular. 4. The market penetration of MERMAID Packaged Drinking Water is good after facing so much challenge in South Mumbai area with their competitors like Aquafina. 9. 8. Kinley and Oxyrich. Bisleri. 7. 6. Most of Packaged Drinking Water‘s consumer hotels & restaurant use Bisleri. 5. Some customers use MERMAID Packaged Drinking Water because of its attractive name & packing and due to its rational price. Distributors should have to be specifying with their area of distribution. Aquafina. Customer says that public does not demand for Mermaid PWD because they are not aware about the Brand Mermaid. and Kinley.OBSERVATIONS & FINDINGS
1. Very less number of distributers is there in South Mumbai region for Mermaid Packaged Drinking water.

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.  Regular visit should be maintained by Area Sales Manager or executives for proper supply. Regular checks should be made to see that the salesman introduces the schemes regularly. Sales promotion tools such as pens.    More schemes should be launched by the company and organization.  After sales services should be improved. banners. racks. One week credit facility or one bill due system should be introduced. note pads. Intense Marketing and promotions activities are required to South Mumbai region for Customer awareness for Mermaid to show its mere presence in the market in the Packaged Drinking Water Segment.RECOMMENDATIONS & SUGGESTIONS
On the basis of this study. which are introduced by the company. properly and on time to the retailers. cinema halls should be given special consideration.  The Salesman should at least visit once in a week to those customers who don‘t stock Mermaid.   Counters outside hospitals. Packaging should be standardized & made attractive. the following suggestions have been made to make the Future Option more effective:     Quality of Plastic for Packaging must be improved. with some new offers and schemes to increase the market share. stickers should be given to the retailers. The Taste of the water should be tested neatly to maintain the quality of the water.

Salesman should have to build up good repo with Key A/C consumers as they visit the outlets for supply in order to maintain good customer relation.
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. 
Should not depend much on distributors as they doesn‘t introduce schemes. doesn‘t provide proper service and supply. which ultimately helps in Brand Management. Regular meetings should be arranged with the company staff in order to know the practical problems faced by them and should be resolved suitably. The company representative like the area sales manager should visit once in 1 month to the present Key a/c customers for the overall satisfaction of the customer and to check the performance of the product.
  
The company should invest in promoting the brand name MERMAID to make it a WORD OF MOUTH.

There is a huge competition in the market in this field. Need to spend money on sales promotion to attract more and more customers and retailers. Mermaid has good supply chain and availability of staff and team.
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.CONCLUSION
     
Since Mermaid Mineral water is new in market so it will take some time to capture the market.
 
Mermaid should give new offers to retailer as well as dealers so that they would ready to keep stock of Mermaid Packaged Drinking Water. Profit margin of the retailers by selling of Mermaid product is more than the other brand of thePackaged Drinking Water Company in the market. Since Kingfisher is popular by name of Dwarka Group in the market so most of the high class families are not responding to the product. It has modified its packaging of bottles so now retailers as well as consumersare giving more response than it was earlier.